Man suffers broken leg in assault by horse rider in south Derbyshire

Police are appealing for witnesses after a man was hospitalised with a broken leg following a dispute with a horse rider.

The 58-year-old victim had been walking through the car park at Foremark Reservoir, near Milton, when the incident took place.

He challenged a group of riders for using picnic benches to mount their horses.

A man from the group of riders then approached the victim and kicked him to the ankle, fracturing his fibula and tibia and leaving him needing plates and pins inserting in his leg.

The assault happened at about 12.45pm on Sunday, February 8.

The offender was white, aged between 25 and 30, about 5ft 8ins, of medium build, with short hair, and was wearing a dark Barbour quilted jacket.

He was with a woman described as white, in her mid-20s, and well dressed. She was riding what the victim believed to be a brown racehorse.

Other members of the group were all women, in their late teens or early-20s. One was riding a dark coloured racehorse, a second was riding a black and white horse and a third was riding a two-tone brown horse.

Police are appealing for any witnesses to the assault to come forward, and want to hear from anyone who recognises the descriptions of the offender, the group, or the horses.

Anyone with information should call Derbyshire police on 101, quoting crime reference 5590/15. You can also call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.